Mattress-sewing machine



(No Model.) 5' sheetsl-Sheer 2, E. N. STEPHENSON. MATTRESS SEWING MAGHlNE.

No. 439,205'. Patented oet. 28,1890.

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(No Mader.) 5 sheetssheet s.

E. N. STEPHENSON MATTRESS SEWING MACHINE.

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 4;

B. N. STEPHBNSON. MATTRESS SEWING MACHINE.

No. 439,205. y Patented 0013.28, 1890.

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y UNITED STATES PATENT (DEEICE'.

EDVIN N. STEPHENSON, OF WAGO, TEXAS.

MATTRESS-SEWING MACHINE.

-SIPECI'FICA'lION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,205, dated October 28, 1890.

Application filed June 18, 1889.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, EDWIN N. STEPHENSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vaco, in the county of McLennan aud State of Texas, have invented new and useful 1mprovements in h/Iattress-Sewing Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for stitching and binding filled mattresses, and the purpose thereof is to provide means whereby the ticking may be held and properly presented to the stitching-machine, and whereby the latter may be fed along the edge of the filled tick and caused to operate thereon as it moves to unite the parts through which the filling is introduced.

It is also my purpose to provide simple means whereby a binding may be laid upon the united edges of the tick by the advance of the sewing-machine as the latter is fed along the edge, said binding being attached by the same stitching which closes the open- .ing in the ticking.

vIt is a further object of my invention to provide means whereby the raw edges of the ticking may beheld and stretched, and whereby when properly alignedV they may also be clamped along their entire extent and held in proper position for stitching.`

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of part-shere-inafter set forth andclaimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a similar view, partly in section, showing the mattress in place. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view. Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the stitching-machine feed. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of the cam-clamp of the Amachinefeed. Fig. 84 is a detail of the sleeve carrying the cam-clamp. Fig. 9 is a detail elevation, partly in section, showing the holding and stretching devices. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective of the devices by which the binding or tape is laid upon the raw edges of the tick. Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the parts shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the parts, showing the mode of operation.

serai No. 314,701. (No modal' Fig. 13 is a perspective of the binder or tapelayer, showing a modified construction.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates a supporting-frame of suitable size mounted upon legs or other uprights 2, and so constructed as to form a substantially horizontal table capable of receiving a mattress of ordinary size.

At one end of the table or frame 1 is placed a head 3, which extends entirely across the end of said frame and is raised somewhat above its level. Upon this head is mounted a plate 4, having a straight edge (zo-extensive in length with the head. At the ends of the latter are mounted arms 5, which are preferably inclined, and upon which a bar 6 is mounted by means of loops 7, surrounding and sliding upon the bars. The edge of the bar 6 is concave in cross-section, thereby forming amargin 8, which may be brought down upon the straight edge of the plate et in substantially the position shown in Fig. 2. The bar 6 Ais normally raised `o the plate 4c by means of weights 9, connected to cords 10, ruiming over pulleys 12, and connected to a treadle-piece 13, the latter being mounted upon arms 14, pivoted to the supports of the frame and connected to the ends of the bar 6 by rods 14a. ByA forcing the treadle down with the foot the bar 6 will be drawn down upon the edge of the plate 4, in which position it may be held by a locking-bar 15, pivoted to the central part of the frame and resting by gravity against' the edge of a plate 16 on the treadle-frame. K

Projecting from the head 3 are arms 17, upon which is supported a bar 18, parallel with the head and raised somewhat above-the level of the latter. Upon this bar is mounted a plate 19, extending at each end beyond the ends of the head 3, upon or within which is arrangedy a second plate 20, parallel with the first and of equal length. These plates constitute rails upon which the stitching mechanism is mounted, the latter consisting-of any suitable pattern of sewing-machine. From the bed of this machine depend brackets 21,

-the feet of which are .slotted to receive the edges of the plates or rails 19 and 20 and slide easily thereon. The feature which mainly distinguishes this machine from those of or- IOO employed in machines of all classes.

dinary'construction is the absence of the four motion feed.

Lying between the rails 19 and 2O is a bar 22 of any suitable size and form, though a cylindrical bar is shown in the drawings. It extends the entire length 0f the railway and passes through an opening 23 in an arm 24, projecting from the bed-plate of the machine.

Looking at the under surface of the bedplate 25 of this sewing-machine, it will be seen that it is provided with a shuttle lever orarm 26, pivoted upon a bearing 27, the driving mechanism by which reciprocation is given to the shuttle-arm and needle-arm being of any suitable kind. Journaled in dropbearings 3l on the under surface of the bed-plate is a shaft 30, which in the ordinary machine carries the feed-lift, this device, however, being removed in the present instance. This shaft receives rotation by the means usually A cam 33, having a throw equal to the intermittent or step-by-step feed required by the stitching mechanism, is rigidly mounted on the camshaft 30.

Upon the cylindrical bar or rod 22 is loosely mounted a sleeve 34, having upon one side a short longitudinal slot 35, and provided upon each side of said slot with an ear or lug 36, within which is supported a pivot-pin 37, carrying a cam-lever 38, vibrating in a plane parallel with the axis of the bar 22. The sleeve 34 is connected with the machine by a coiled spring 39, attached at one end to said sleeve and at the other end to the arm 24, projecting from the bed-plate ofthe machine, as shown in Fig. 5. The cam-lever 38 is provided with a bifurcated end 40, standing at a right angle, or nearly so, with the bar 22,and receiving in the opening' between its forked branches a plate 4l, forming a cam-dog,which is supported in a slot in the drop-arm 24 and guided by a slotted angle-plate 42, mounted on the lower face of the bed-plate of the sewing-machine. The end of this cam-dog rests on the top of the cam 33, and is provided with a hooked or angular end or head 43, which drops behind the cam, as shown in Fig. 5. A cross-pin 44 is mounted in the plate 4l and lies directly behind the forked end 40 of the cam-lever 3S, the arrangement being such that the revolution of the cam 33 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5 will draw the cross-pin against the cam-lever and cause the latter to bite upon the rod 22, thereby holding the sleeve 34 motionless upon said bar or rod. The cam-shaft 30 being journaled in rigid supports or drop-bearings 3l upon the under side of the bed-plate, it is evident that in order to permit the revolution of the cam 33 the machine-frame itself must yield and slide upon the bar 22 a distance equal to the throw of the cam 33. After each cam-throw caused by the projection of the cam 33 against the angular end or head 43 of the cam-dog 4l the bite of the cam-lever 3S is released, and the tension of the spring 39 advances the sleeve 34' a single step, equal in extent to the step-feed accomplished by the cam 33, whereby its forked end 40 remains in engagement with the cross-pin 44 in readiness for a second stroke of the cam and a repetition of the feed-movement of the machine-frame. In order to vary this feed, and thus produce a stitch of any desired length, and for the purpose of preventing the parts from rattling upon each step movement of the machineframe, I tap through the drop-arm 24 a setscrew 45, the point whereof lies in the path of an angular projection 46 on the cani-dog 4l. In the feed movement of the machine the revolution of the cam 33 which i'irst causes the lever 38 to bite upon the bar 22, and thus lock the sleeve 34, then produces a sliding movement of the frame of the stitchingmachine in the direction opposite to the direct throw of the cam, thereby withdrawing the set-screw 45 from -contact with the lug 46. cam-dog, the tension of the spring 39 throws the sleeve 34 along upon the bar, carrying with it the cam-dog 4l, until the lug 46 is again brought into contact with the set-screw 45. It will readily be seen that by turning this screw forward the stitch-movement of the machine will be reduced in length, while adjustment in the opposite direction will increase the length of the stitch.

Inasmuch as the screw-threads of the setscrew 45 are liable to wear by reason of the constant impact thereon of the lug 46, I coil a spring 47 upon the shank of said screw between its head and the drop-arm 24, whereby the rattling of the parts due to the wear mentioned will be wholly avoided.

The stitching-machine is provided with an ordinary presser-foot 48, which may be raised and lowered in the manner well known. Inasmuch, however, as the machine is itself fed over the goods in this instance, in place of feeding the goods over or through the machine the ordinary four-motion feed is removed, and to permit the step-by-step advance of the machine frame between the formation of the successive stitches I connect with the end of the presser-foot bar 49 the end of a lift-lever 50, pivotally attached at its other end to one side of the machinehead, as seen in Figs. l and 2. This lever is actuated by means of a drop-finger 5l, which engages therewith between its two points of attachment and passes down through the bedplate, its end resting upon the back of the cam-dog 41. The cam 33 is so formed that the cam-dog shall be raised sufficiently at least to fully disengage the presser-foot from the goods before the throw of said cam is eX- erted upon the angular head 43 and the machine-frame advanced. In like manner the cam 33 is of suflicient extent so that it supports the cam-dog and holds the lift 50 up until the full throw of the said cam has been exerted and the feed movement terminated.

The operative portions of the stitching-ma- As the cam passes off the head 43 of the IOO IIO

chine need no specific description, as they are, with the exception of those special features already set forth, of any usual construction. The stitching devices and shuttle-lever are operated by a shaft 52, journaled in the machine-head and having a band-pulley 53. Upon the rear end of the machine-frame is formed bracket-frame 54, within which two guide-pulleys 55 are journaled, over which the continuous line of belting 56 is carried from two driving-pulleys 57, arranged at opposite ends of the railway on which the stitching-machine travels.

Upon the head 3, at the ends of the railway or beyond the ends of the clampingedges, are arranged two stretching-clamps, (shown in Fig. 9,) whereof one consists of a rigidly-mounted jaw 56, having pivoted thereon an angular jaw 57 having substantially the form of a bell-crank lever, and operated in one direction by a spring 58, which opens the jaw, and in the other by a cam 59, rotated by a lever 60. At the other end of the head 3 a similar clamp 6l is placed, having substantially similar construction, save that it is mounted upon a longitudinally-adjustable'bar or rod 62, provided with notches 63 and supported in a bearing upon which are formed two lugs 64, overhanging the bar and supporting a detent 65, pivoted between the lugs and engaging the notches 63. The raw edges of the ticking afterbeing drawn through or between the clamping-edges, (the movable clamp-bar being lifted by the action of the weight attached by a cord to the treadle-bar,) the ends of the ticking are placed in the jaws of the rigid clamp 56, and the other ends are in like manner grasped between the jaws of the adjustable clamp 6l,the raw edges of the material being first brought into alignment. TheV movable clamp 6l is then adjusted in such manner as to strain the aligned edges and bring them both into proper relations to the clamping-edge 4. The treadle 13 is then operated, and the clamping-bar 6 is brought down upon the plate 4, the two edges of the stretched fabric being tightly clamped between said parts throughout their entire extent. The portions or margins of the goods extending or lying in front of the clampingedges are drawn taut by the stretching-clamps 56 and 6l and hold the marginal portions of fabric tightly stretched in position to receive the operation of the stitching-machine- Upon the front of the machine-frame I mount abinder attachment. (Shown in Figs. 10 to 13,inclusive.) This binderv is composed of two substantially similar plates 66, having their longitudinalr edges bent into approximate parallelism, said plates being arranged with the bent edges turned outward at a slight angle of convergence. The lower of these plates may form part of a bracket 67, which is mounted upon the gage-plate 68. A U-shaped plate 69 is attached to the projecting end of the lower plate, and upon the upper branch of the said plate the upper plate 66 is mounted.4 An "elastic plate 70, formed upon the bracket 67, is brought down upon the upper plate 66, and a lip is turned upthereon, whereby the binding may be in-` serted by simply drawing one edge into the opening under said lip and carrying it between the upper plate 66 and the plate 70 until both edges lie in the folded plates 66, as shown in Figll. Thebinding is taken from a spool or drum 7l, mounted upon the machine-frame, and carried over a vertical guide p in or post 7 2, mounted on a strip 73, which extends from the gage-plate 68. I may also use the construction of binder shown 'in Fig. 13, wherein the longitudinally-folded plates 66 are both integral parts of the same plate, no means being provided for the introduction of the binding, save as it is threaded or led longitudinally into the folding plates 66; This binding is composed of any kind of tape or other suitable materialhaving any desired Y color and width within the capacities of the binder attachment.

While I have shown the f invention as applied to the purpose of stitching up the opening in the end or side of a filled mattress and applying a binding thereto, it is evident that I may use it for binding the stitched edges only; or, on the other hand, I may use the machine without change for stitching upv bags or for uniting any marginal portions of a fabric or fabrics where an overseaming stitch is not required, as well as for applying binding to mattresses and other articles.

In order that the stitching-machine may be adj usted by the operator to any point'upon the bar 22, a releasing-lever 7 5 is fulcrumed upon the lower end of the drop-arm 24, its curved edge bearing upon the end of the sleeve 34. By operating said lever the sleeve may be moved slightly but sufficiently to release the, bite of the cam-lever 38 on the rod 22, whereupon the machine may be moved in either direction upon the rails i9 and 20. The bearing-edge of the cam-lever is slightly concaved to give it a true bearing on the cylindrical rod; but this feature of construction is not essential to the invention.

1. In a' mattress-stitching machine, the combination, with a support for the mattress, of a clamp for the raw edges of the ticking, a sewing-machine travelingv along the edge, means for imparting a step-by-step'movement to said machine, a presser-foot, devices automatically operated by the feed devices' at each feed movement of the sewing-machine to lift the presser-foot, and a connection be- 125 tween the shuttle-arm of the stitching-machine and the cam-shaft of the feed, substantially as described. i

2. In amattress-stit-ching machine, the combination, with a` support for the mattress, of an-adj ustable clamp for the raw edges of the ticking, a sewing-machine traveling upona n railway lying along the clamped edges, means for feeding said machine a step after each IIO , on the head, a treadle-lever connected by arms with said clamping-bar, and means for locking the parts in engagement, substantially as described.

4. In a mattress-stitchin g machine, the combination, with a support for the mattress having a head at one end provided with astraight edge, of a movable clamp-bar sliding upon arms mounted upon said head, a weight-raised treadle-lever connected with said clampingbar Aby means of arms, a rigid and a movable stretching-clamp mounted upon the head at opposite ends of the clamping-bars, and a stitching-machine travelingalong the clampingedges and uniting the same, substantially as described.

5. In a m'attress-stitchin g machine, the combination, with a support for the mattress having a head at one end provided with a straight clamping-edge, of a clamp-bar adjustable toward and from the straight clamping-edge, a

stitching-machine traveling upon ways in front of the clamps, a cam advancing said machine, a presser-foot lifted by said cam, and means for varying the feed Inovementof said machine, substantially as described.

6. In a mattress-stitching machine, the combination, with a support for the mattress, of a head having astraight clamping-edge, a movable clamping-bar adjustable toward and from said clamping-edge, a stitching-machine traveling upon a way in front of the clampingedge, a cam carried by a shaft jonrnaled on the machine, a cam-dog having an angular head with which the cam engages, a sleeve loosely mounted on a bar beneath the machine and having a cam -lever the end of which engages a cross-pin on the cam-dog, throwing the cam-lever to bite on the bar at each movement of the cam, a spring connecting the sleeve and the machine-frame, and a presser-foot raised by each throw of the cam, substantially as described.

. 7. In a mattress-stitching machine, the conibination, with a support for the mattress having a straight clamping-edge, of an adjustable clamp-bar engaging therewith, a stitching-machine moving upon ways or rails parallel with the clamping-edges, feeding mechanism, substantially as described, to impart a step-by-step movement to the machineframe between the strokes of the needle, a binder carried by said machine, whereby a binding-strip is laid upon the clamped raw 4edges of the ticking, and a presser-foot for said machine lifted at each feed movement of the machine by the action of the feeding mechanism, substantially as described.

8. In a mattress-stitching machine, the combination, with a support for the mattress having a raised head at one end provided with a straight clamping edge, o-f an adjustable clamping-barv movable toward and from the clampingedge, a stitchingmachine having drop-brackets upon its bed-plate with slotted feet which receive the edges of rails arranged in parallelism with the clamping-edges, a camshaft journaled in rigid bearings on the bedplate of the machine and arranged transversely to the line of stitching, a cam-dog having an angular end bearing on a cam on the shaft, said dog arranged parallel with the line of stitching, a bar or rod along which the machine advances, a sleeve loosely mounted thereon and having a slot in which lies a cam-lever, the end of which engages a crosspin on the cam-dog, a set-screw tapped thro ugh a drop-arm on the bed-plate and lying in the path of a lugor projection on the cam-dog, and means for operating the stitching mechanism, the cam-shaft being connected to the shuttle-lever by a pitman engaging a wrist on said shaft, substantially as described.

9. In a mattress-stitching machine, the combination, with a straight-edge clamp and with a movable clamp for the fabrics, of a rigid and a movable stretching-clamp, one at one end and the other at the other end of the clamping edge, a stitching machine having an intermittent advance movement and acting upon the clamped edges, a presser-foot lifted at each movement, a lift-lever pivoted upon the machine-head and connected to the presser-foot bar, and a feedingcam acting upon a cam-dog upon which rests a lift-finger mounted on the lift-lever, substantially as described.

lO. In a mattress stitching machine, the combination of a mattress-support having an upwardlyprojecting straight-edged plate, a rising and falling clamp-bar for clamping the ticking on said plate, mechanism for raising and lowering the clamp-bar, stretchers for stretching the ticking lengthwise on the plate, a trackway arranged parallel with the plate, a stitch forming machine movable on the trackway, and means for feeding the stitchforming machine along the trackway, substantially as described.

1l. In a mattress-stitching machine, the combination, with a straight-edge clamp and a movable clamping-bar, of a stitching-machine moving in parallelism therewith, a rail- IOO IIO

way for said machine, a bar arranged between the rails and passing through a droparm on the bed-plate of the machine, a camshaft journaled on supports on said plate, a cam -dog having an angular head against which the cam on the shaft impinges, a sleeve loose on the bar between the rails and having a slot in 'which lies a. earn-lever fulcrumed onf lthe sleeve and bearing on the bam, a cross-pin on the cam-dog bearing on the eem-lever causing the same to bite on the bar, a. setserew tapped through the drop-arm on the bed-plate and lying in the path of an angular lng on the cam-dog, a spring coiled on said set-screw and. lying between the headV thereof and the drop-arm, and a, spring connecting the slotted sleeve and the said drop-arm, sub-` to stantally as described.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my Signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN N. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES B. PEARRE, A. S. BOYNTON. 

